Nowadays we are so involved in social media like Instagram, Facebook and many others. We follow other people, look after their lives, admire of their bodies so that for some reason we forget about our own and start constantly comparing them with those perfect images from social media. Almost everyone struggles with their body image in some period of time. It’s a fact.
But the message I want you to get is that your body is a vehicle for you and is subject to you so your relationship with it is very important. I mean body loving. Let’s find out why.
Essential body needs
First of all, let’s note that every body needs certain essential things in order to give its love back to you and to be in a healthy relationship with you.
- Self-love. Acceptance yourself is just essential. You mightn’t love your body. But what can it lead to? Constantly feeling miserable. If you built the relationship with yourself but you don’t accept the body have then it’s not a healthy relationship. It’s a toxic one. Let your self-love be healthy no matter what. You can read about the importance of self-relationship in my previous article.
- Energy. Of course, it is a well-known fact that it is sleep that gives your body energy. It helps you ‘reload’ both mentally and physically after a long day. It speeds body processes, such as physical growth or repair. If you don’t get a proper sleep, your body won’t function in all its glory. The best option is to get 7-9 hours of sleep. Healthy sleep habits you can find in the article I’ve written recently.
- Food. Actually it is our body fuel. So if you feed your body with garbage, your body will feel like garbage. If you don’t give your body enough fuel, it will hop the perch.
- Hydration. Our body is over 50% water. So many physical issues can be solved by water, you can’t even imagine! Better skin, less headaches, feeling less bloated, etc.
- Movement. The more we use our bodies and move, the better they will become. Under movement I mean any sort of activity. Going up stairs instead of taking the lift, morning exercise or just going to another room – it can be anything where you aren’t sitting on your hands for a long time.
Tips to love your body
All the essential body needs mentioned above require certain actions that can help you have healthy relationship with your body. These actions actually may become daily habits that can lead to pure body love in the long run.
- On the first hand, focus not on the body’s form but on its function. No matter how you treat your body or feel about it, your body is right beside you (actually you are in it) every single day. Find the time to care for your body by eating well and getting any activity so that you will feel healthier with each day. Having a healthy body means you appreciate it. Your emotional health also gets better when you care for yourself physically. And as a result it’ll be easier for you to accept and love your body.
- Appreciate your body. Try spending a few minutes each day thinking about what you’re grateful for about your body. This will help you realize that your relationship with your body is not only about its appearance but also about the things that your body does for you on a daily basis.
- Be insensitive to social media. Almost every day we see this “perfect” body images through all over the social media and we unconsciously start to think that this is how our bodies should look like. But it’s not right. Each of us has their own preferences and tastes, so you better follow what YOU like instead of these stereotypes.
- Learn to forgive yourself when you make a mistake with an exercise routine or your diet, for example. Don’t stop trying! You’re already on your way of improving and you have to face with such problems to get better. Mistakes are okay, just don’t quit trying.
- Be body positive around others. We often don’t realize how our words about bodies, especially negative ones, can hurt other people. Keep in mind what you are saying about bodies and how it can affect others, be it your friends, family or even a stranger. Try to avoid commenting negatively about bodies of other people. Don’t judge them. Their body is their choice. They have their own way that you probably may not know. Learn to respect other people’s experience and choice.
- Unify your mind, body and spirit as they work perfectly all together. When you feel peaceful in your mind, you feel harmony with your body. You feel inspired to offer gratitude and praise. Just to be happy. Move in a way that feels good to you.
You don’t need to have a perfect relationship with your body – no one actually has it. It’s totally fine to be in a struggle with it and it’s okay to accept your worries, fears and negative emotions. Think about effort rather than reaching the ‘perfection’. Try to swap ‘control’ to ‘connection’, and you’ll feel more comfortable and satisfied with your body and mind.
Appreciate your body and treat it with respect – this will lead to beneficial changes both physically and mentally, which will allow to feel calmer and not so over controlling. Work WITH your body, not AGAINST it.
Remember, whatever you do, you do it for yourself!
